Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio

Nicolas-Charles Oudinot, duc de Reggio (born April 25, 1767, Bar-le-Duc, France—died September 13, 1847, Paris) was a general, administrator, and marshal of France in the Napoleonic Wars. His career illustrates the opportunities to rise in the French army after the Revolution. Oudinot was the son of a businessman. In 1784 he joined France’s royal army but, since commoners were barred from promotion, resigned in 1787. After the French Revolution, however, he became the leader of...